Perceived racial discrimination and suicidal behaviors among racial and ethnic minority adolescents in the United States: Findings from the 2021 adolescent behaviors and experiences survey

The objectives of this study were to investigate: (1) the prevalence of perceived racial discrimination (PRD) in school, among racial/ethnic minority adolescents, and (2) the association between PRD and suicidal behaviors among racial/ethnic minority adolescents in the United States. Data from a sample of 3241 racial/ethnic mi-nority adolescents (53.7% female) from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Controlling for other factors, racial/ethnic minority adolescents who experi-enced PRD had 1.57 times higher odds of experiencing suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.57, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) = 1.09-2.25), 1.64 times higher odds of making a suicide plan (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.09-2.49), and 1.67 times higher odds of attempting suicide (AOR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.04-2.68) during the past year. Other factors associated with suicidal behaviors included self-identifying as lesbian/gay, bisexual, or other/ questioning; experiencing cyberbullying; feeling sad or hopeless; and poor mental health during the pandemic. The findings of this study extend past research and demonstrate that racial/ethnic minority adolescents who experienced PRD were more likely to report suicidal behaviors over and above other well-established risk factors for suicidal behaviors. Future studies that employ longitudinal designs are needed to elucidate mechanisms underlying these associations.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of perceived racial discrimination (PRD) in school among racial/ethnic minority adolescents in the United States, and its association with suicidal behaviors. The findings suggest that racial/ethnic minority adolescents who experience PRD are more likely to report suicidal behaviors compared to other well-established risk factors.